Aidan At The Movies: mr mom

9/17/21

When mom goes to work, dad goes berserk!! So many balls to juggle when a dad has to wear mom's shoes while taking care of the kids and the house 24/7. That's the scenario for Beetlejuice star Michael Keaton (who just turned 70 this year) in this family classic, Mr. Mom. Also starring Terri Garr (Close Encounters and Tootsie), Martin Mull (Mr. Kraft in Sabrina the Teenage Witch), Ann Jillian (Gypsy and Mae West), Jefferey Tambor (Arrested Development), and appearances by Christopher Lloyd, Miriam Flynn, and Edie McClurg. Written by the late John Hughes.

After unexpectedly getting fired from his job, Jack Butler (Keaton) agrees to take over his wife, Caroline's (Garr) job as mother and housekeeper while she goes to her new job. Jack learns that taking care of his kids and doing the chores aren't easy as it seems. With no clue how to do the work, Jack walks over egg shells to keep everything in the family household functional Jack also needs to watch out for one of the female neighbors (Ann Jillian) for trying to cheat on his wife. Meanwhile, Caroline isn't getting lucky either at her new advertising job with her new boss, Ron Richardson (Mull) hitting on her. Turns out both mom and dad are at risk for not just their marriage, but their family, too.

This is a cute comedy. Personally, when I get married someday, I want to have kids. But that's another story for a future article. What I mostly loved about this movie is that it focuses on family being the number one priority. I must admit, it was painful seeing Michael Keaton not doing the chores right on his first time at bat, like mixing all the laundry detergents into one mixture into the washing machine. Thank goodness we have new technology for chores like that. I also love how both parents realize their mistakes and, without giving everything away, make things right once more.

For moms and dads who love their children and know that family comes first, grab the kids, pop some popcorn and rent Mr. Mom starring Michael Keaton.

Parents Guide: This is rated PG, though some of the content may not be appropriate for kids. Ann Jillian's cleavage can be visible in most of her scenes. There is a scene where Michael Keaton and other moms go to a male strip club. (No nudity.) There's some people punching other people in some scenes. Lots of bad language that your kids shouldn't dare repeat.

Trivia: Robin Williams, Chevy Chase, Steve Martin and John Travolta were considered for the lead role. Karen Allen (Raiders of the Lost Ark and Animal House), Jane Curtin (SNL and 3rd Rock from the Sun), and the late Farrah Fawcett were considered for the role of Caroline. Jack Nicholson was considered for the role of Ron Richardson. Ron Howard was originally considered to direct. A short-lived TV spinoff of this movie was made one year later with a completely different story with different characters.